


[Podfic] Gimme Shelter

by Lockedinjohnlock



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 1970s, Alternate Universe, California, Enemies to Lovers, English Accent, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Hawaii, John is unambiguously gay, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Sexism, Podfic, Professional Surfing, Soundcloud, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vietnam War, sports AU, surfer!lock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-05 13:37:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 0
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14045397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lockedinjohnlock/pseuds/Lockedinjohnlock
Summary: All John Watson wants is the feeling of a freshly waxed surfboard under his feet and the hot California sun baking down onto his back. To finally go pro in the newly formed world of professional surfing and leave the dark memories of his past behind him as he rips across the face of a towering blue barrel. To lounge beside the beach bonfire every evening with an ice cold beer tucked into the cool sand beside him and listen to Pink Floyd and the Doors while the saltwater dries in his sun bleached hair.That's all he wants, that is, until the hot young phenom taking Oahu and the Hawaiian shores by storm steps up next to him in the sand in the second round of the 1976 International Surf Competition.





	1. Sympathy For The Devil

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Gimme Shelter](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11578941) by [SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John/pseuds/SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John). 



> Oh my. What an absolute honour and a thrill it has been to be permitted to podfic this wonderful, fantastic, AWESOME story. It's been a long journey - I first asked permission in October and began working in earnest on January 1st. I completed the final uploading just 11 days ago and boy, does it feel like an achievement! 17hr and 18min of finished story. That's a lot of commuting!  
> I absolutely didn't do it on my own, so here are my grateful shoutouts for the help and support I have received along the way.  
> Firstly, SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John gave me permission and then encouragement when I doubted my abilities. I really thought that Gimme Shelter needed an American voice to narrate but didn't trust my skills enough to pull that off without sounding like Dick VanDyke, so, after a couple of trial run chapters, we came to a compromise - the narration would be done in my own accent and all speaking parts would be done with an American accent. (I hope you feel that I pulled this off sufficiently well to not put you off!!) Then we went through a proof-reading stage where SWDYCM_J was so patient and tolerated my comma-wrangling with enormous grace!  
> Then, having recorded and edited each chapter, the next person to offer me unstinting help, guidance and all-round scrumptiousness was SW70, who beta listened for me. It's down to her that I sound as American as I do and she saved me from some potentially very embarrassing pronunciations! SW's help, despite a wicked workload and her regular beta services to Bagofthumbs and Axemeaboutaxiomancy, was always swift, incisive and encouraging. She held my hand through a number of poddy crises and was always good-natured and level-headed! Thank you so much, SW! (Any remaining glitches or horrible accents are absolutely my fault!)  
> Finally, to put the cherry on the cake, Alexaprilgarden is responsible for the fantastic artwork that became the cover for the original story and also the podfic. Her vision was that which heralded the countdown on tumblr and despite personal health setbacks, she did a brilliant job of co-ordinating an awareness campaign leading up to the release of the pod. Thank you Alex, you're a superstar!
> 
> Gimme Shelter marks my 150th offering to the Sherlock fandom, and what better way to celebrate such a milestone?
> 
> As ever, thank you to everyone who listens, kudoses, comments, and bookmarks; it is your support that keeps me going.
> 
> Since this first chapter is a wee 'teaser', there will be another along very shortly!
> 
> Music intro and outro is, of course, The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter". What else could it possibly have been?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand, as if there were not enough notes already, I would just like to add that there will be art work on as many chapters as I can find from people who have felt stirred enough to produce visuals to go with SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John's wonderful words. Consider this, if you will, an homage to Gimme Shelter.  
> The art for this chapter, comes from the pen of the gorgeous Alexaprilgarden, who created the covers for the fic and the podfic and also the fantastic images that formed the teasers that were issued on Tumblr in the week leading up to the release of the podfic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are no author's notes for this chapter, but when there are some, this is where you'll find them!


	2. Beast Of Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You want sexy surfer Greg Lestrade with a man bun? Want secretly pining John Watson? Here ya go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How lucky are you today? TWO chapters! (Well, the first chapter was just a baby introduction, wasn't it?)

 

                                                                                       

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes:  
> Slang:  
> Hodad (or kook) = a nonsurfer who frequents surfing beaches and pretends to be a surfer. Basically a poser.  
> Bomb = a huge wave.  
> Barrel = When a big wave rolls over, enclosing a temporary horizontal tunnel of air with the surfer inside.
> 
> A few quick words on surfer culture (based on my admittedly rough understanding as a more casual fan):
> 
> All of the competitions mentioned in this fic are real, and had already been established by this time. The 1950's and 60's was obviously a huge explosion for the surfing world - you had the Beach Boys, and the rise of surfer bums and beach chicks, etc. Surfing wasn't formally organized, however, until closer to the end of the 60's and then early 70's, with the formation of the International Surf Federation (ISF) in 1964, the World Surf League in 1976, and more organized local and worldwide competitions.
> 
> In modern professional surfing, there are two circuits. I've adapted some modern competition standards to this fic purely for plot reasons and to heighten the drama.
> 
> First, you have the World Qualifying Series (QS). This is the 'lower' level. Competitors in QS surfing competitions usually pay to enter and then compete in heats, with 1-3 other surfers in each. Judges score each wave completed in the time limit with points on a scale of 10. Winning a heat means earning more circuit points which improves your ranking, with a goal of eventually earning enough circuit points to make it up into the higher circuit level - the World Championship Tour (CT). The higher ranked QS competition you win, the more circuit points you get.
> 
> The CT is basically the equivalent of being fully 'pro'. You have sponsors, earn a spot in worldwide competitions, and compete in heats with other CT level surfers. This is where the big money is made. At the end of each season, there is a cutoff, where the highest ranked surfers in the CT get to remain in that circuit while the lower ranked CT surfers get sent back down to QS competitions.
> 
> You honestly don't need to give a crap about any of this to enjoy this fic! I'll continue to provide historical context throughout, though, in case anyone's interested.


	3. Waiting On A Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well shit,” John breathes as he looks out at the wave-less water. He perches on his board and tries to count the minutes in his head. Each second that ticks by without a swell feels like another chance at going pro is slipping effortlessly out to sea, just out of the reach of his fingertips. The only benefit of waiting there like a sitting duck is the fact that the Scotty Holmes can’t knock him on his metaphorical ass if the ocean isn’t giving him jack shit to surf on either.
> 
> It’s awkward, sitting perfectly still just ten feet away from each other with absolutely nothing to do and hundreds of people watching them not do it.
> 
> John clears his throat. “We haven’t met yet. I’m Johnny,” he says.
> 
> His competitor doesn’t even turn his head. “Obviously.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for such a warm welcome of this podfic!

                                                                       

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surfing terms:  
> -Kook = someone who pretends to be a surfer but doesn't have any skill; a poser  
> -Wipe out = to fall off your board  
> -Soul arch = kind of an over-confident, slightly obnoxious move in surfing where instead of planting your feet apart and squatting for balance, you put your feet together, stand up straight, and arch your upper body backwards so that you're looking straight up at the sky. Besides hanging ten (being at the very tip of the board so all of your toes hang off the edge), it's one of the more show-off moves you can do.


	4. Get Off My Cloud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beautiful art today, courtesy of Zigster (@zigster-ao3), reproduced with kind permission.

 

                                                                                     

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surfing terms:  
> -Kook = someone who pretends to be a surfer but doesn't have any skill; a poser  
> -Wipe out = to fall off your board  
> -Soul arch = kind of an over-confident, slightly obnoxious move in surfing where instead of planting your feet apart and squatting for balance, you put your feet together, stand up straight, and arch your upper body backwards so that you're looking straight up at the sky. Besides hanging ten (being at the very tip of the board so all of your toes hang off the edge), it's one of the more show-off moves you can do.  
> -Let me know if there are any more terms in here that you'd like to have defined!


	5. I Just Want To See His Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me! It's only an ikkle chapter today. I'll make it up to you later, (the final chapter is one and three quarter hours long!)

                                                                            

 

 


	6. Street Fighting Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny stalks towards him in the moonlight. “You – what the fuck was that today? Huh? The hell are you playing at?”
> 
> His voice is a harsh whisper, and Sherlock feels it like ice down his spine. He’d been expecting some good-natured gloating, maybe a “too bad” or two, or an “are you alright.” After all, Johnny Watson was the first surfer in three years who’d taken it upon himself to try to have a goddamn conversation with him.
> 
> Instead he looks furious. Sherlock clears his throat, feels the corners of his mouth tighten. “I believe the correct term, in case you forgot, is ‘wiped out’,” he spits back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> John's not happy!  
> Have a lovely weekend, happy campers.  
> More art from the incomparable Zigster (@zigster-ao3). Reproduced here, with kind permission.

 

                                                                                 

 

 


	7. Under My Thumb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John Watson returns to work at the dockyard the day after winning the Qualifying circuit of the International Surf Competition. It's all just business as usual. . . . . until it isn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided to add as much art work as I can from all the lovely people who have been inspired to create visuals for this wonderful story. I have added some art to previous chapters, so please skip back and take a look at all the great art!  
> Today's piece, by girlwhowearsglasses, is already attached to the text, but I wanted to include it here, to keep everything I can find under one 'roof'!  
> Consider this an homage to SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John and her magnificent fic, Gimme Shelter.

                                                                          

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes, thoughts, and definitions for context:
> 
> -Val's is Val Surf, a surf shop (now famous as a surf brand) that started in 1962 in North Hollywood, California. I don't think they would have actually sponsored pro surfers yet around the time John is surfing, but they were actively involved in promoting the brimming pro surf scene in SoCal especially.  
> -More of John's backstory with the Vietnam War is coming - I promise! Most of his experiences and memories are based off the Vietnam veterans in my own family, and aren't meant to represent the views of Vietnam veterans (or servicemen and servicewomen) everywhere.  
> -A more thorough description and backstory (plus inspirational photo) of Sherlock's tattoo will be included in a future chapter, don't worry :)  
> -It actually is pretty different surfing off SoCal vs. in Hawaii, hence John's need for Scotty's advice. The ocean water is completely different. Despite the heat, water off SoCal is usually fairly icy, and bogged down with a lot of grit and seaweed. This is a huge contrast to the warmer, often clearer waters off of Hawaiian coasts. The ocean currents are also vastly different, as well as the effect of the tides on the swells.  
> -Big wave surfing history is fascinating, and will be explained more in later chapters as Scotty takes on the monster waves at Waimea Bay (which is actually on the north shore of Oahu, not on Hawaii)


	8. Time Waits For Noone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The breeze picks up, blowing locks of frizzy curls over Sherlock’s eyes. By the time he successfully sweeps his hair back from his face, Johnny’s standing beside him, looking out at the ocean.
> 
> “You came,” Sherlock says. He prides himself that his voice doesn’t come out breathless and giddy.
> 
> Johnny shrugs his shoulders underneath his pullover and crosses his arms over his chest.
> 
> “Yeah, well – figured you’d have nothing to do today if you didn’t have me yelling at you for something, so I thought I’d save Los Angeles from the carnage you’d wreak on it if you were bored.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's artistry comes, courtesy of discordantwords, with kind permission.

 

                                                                            

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes, thoughts, and context:  
> -Someone asked me last week what a "flat leaver" is. It's basically old slang for someone who abandons a group to go hang out with the 'cool crowd' instead.  
> -Venice Beach is this insane place in SoCal that's still pretty much the same today as it was back in the 70's. It's a long stretch of road and boardwalk along a beach filled with little trinket stands, henna and tattoo parlors, food stalls, etc. It's also a huge muscle beach scene, with a lot of outdoor exercise equipment and frankly gigantic men and women all competing with pull-ups and weight lifting in the sand. There's quite the community of street performers there as well, many of whom have been there doing the same act daily for decades. My personal favorite is the man who roller blades and plays old Jimi Hendrix songs on his electric guitar with a portable amp. You also have such Venice Beach staples as the Puppet Man, the 'guy who jumps over 10 people bending over', and plenty of 'statue' people. You can see why Sherlock would think it deplorable! But if you're ever in SoCal, it's a fun way to spend a morning people watching.  
> -Let's be real, an old public beach shower probably wouldn't have water hot enough to actually create steam, but what would a UST shower scene be without steam???


	9. Miss You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Sherlock's last day of surfing with John before his flight back to Oahu. He wants to savor every moment. Hoard up the memories in his mind.
> 
> He has absolutely no idea what's coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More beautiful art from Zigster - Greg and his man-bun! Reproduced here with kind permission.

                                                               

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes, thoughts, and context:  
> -They wouldn't technically be driving down the Pacific Coast Highway to get from Hermosa to Laguna. That's not really how it works. . . (I think they'd most likely take the 405, although I'm too lazy to do the research of when exactly that freeway got built). Anyways, just don't use this fic for travel advice.  
> -The Bible verse Sherlock remembers from his mom is from Genesis chapter 1. The hymn is "Be Thou My Vision", an old Irish hymn translated by Eleanor Hull in 1912 and set to a tune in 1919. Depending on how fast you sing it, it could definitely hold a beat with proper CPR (although if Sherlock was using truly proper technique, he'd want to be singing 'staying alive' in his head to keep perfect time!)  
> -Another lazy research moment: I'm not sure what the CPR protocols were for that time. I used what made sense within the context of this fic, but apologies to all of the lovely medical professionals who probably read that and cringed. For anyone who doesn't know, don't follow Sherlock's technique!  
> -Calling someone a "narc" had its origins in someone who snitched to the cops about drugs. In slang, you can use it to call someone who's turned their back on you.  
> -John 'hangs five' in this scene - basically he walks forward on his board while surfing, then moves one foot so all five toes are hanging off the front edge of the board.  
> -'Snaking in' means dropping in on someone else's wave after they've already started. It's surfing etiquette to leave a wave for one surfer at a time, so doing this is considered rude. It would only ever really happen in a competition setting if someone was trying to rack up extra points at the end to win.  
> -If you'd like any more surfing or slang terms defined, I'm more than happy to do so! Just let me know in the comments or on Tumblr.  
> -These are the same group of guys that told John about Scotty Holmes before his first competition, but since this is Sherlock's POV he doesn't know their names. Apologies for continued use of the word 'guy.'


	10. Gimme Shelter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've never talked to anyone about the war. Ever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lovely little image of John! By Zigster, reproduced with kind permission.

                                                                            

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -Pretty much everything in this chapter is based off the real life experiences of people in my family. However, do note that this does not reflect the experiences of every Vietnam War veteran, and John's backstory should just be taken within the context of this fic.  
> -China Beach was a real place in Vietnam. Soldiers adopted it as a sort of resting place, especially for recovering wounded, and they really did built their own lifeguard tower and surfboards. There are very inspirational and emotional firsthand accounts from veterans who surfed at China Beach during the war, even if it was only for one wave like John. For many soldiers, it was an emotionally healing experience to reconnect with surfing in the midst of the chaos of war. If you'd like to learn more, the California Surf museum has an exhibit up chronicling the history of soldiers surfing at China Beach during the war. The website has photographs, videos, and firsthand accounts. One of those cool dudes is my dad!  
> -Credit where credit is due: I re-watched some scenes from Forrest Gump and Apocalypse Now in order to get a good mental image for this chapter. If the descriptions seem familiar to you, that's most likely why.


	11. Time Is On My Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John’s feet feel rooted to the pavement as he watches taxi after taxi pass by. He can’t bring himself to wave one down. If he does, then he’ll have to give an address, and he’ll have to let himself be driven clear across an unfamiliar island, and he’ll have to follow through with this absolutely insane, ridiculous, suicidal plan.
> 
> He’ll have to see Scotty Holmes again.

                                                                      

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -Yay! The UST is resolved! Thanks for hanging in there y'all. There's more sexy times ahead, I promise.  
> -MAJOR thanks go out to Happierstill. While I know Los Angeles like the back of my hand, I've never set foot in Hawaii. She was amazing and shared gorgeous Hawaii vacation photos with me, in addition to giving great island descriptions. Couldn't have done it without her!  
> -Sherlock's beach hut is on the North Shore of Oahu, which is nearby Waimea Bay (home of Big Wave surfing) and also the Banzai Pipeline, which is where the Billabong Masters is held. Feel free to imagine his little house in paradise as extravagantly as you wish.  
> -I don't think there's any surfing terms or slang in this chapter, but if you'd like anything defined please let me know!


	12. Jumpin' Jack Flash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Day 1 of the Billabong Pipeline Masters on the North Shore of Oahu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's gorgeous mood board is from thelostsmiles - reproduced with kind permission.

                                                      

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -As I said, I've taken a ton of liberties with how I portrayed this competition. Probably wouldn't have been beach-side, microphone enabled announcers at that time, probably wouldn't have been quite as insane of a crowd as I've described / will describe on Day 2. Also, in a major competition, John would need to win more heats on Day 1 than just his Wild Card round, but for simplicity I've let him move straight on to Day 2.  
> -The basic format of the competition is correct: judges score every wave a rider catches, and the top 3 scores are the ones that count. Waves are scored out of 10. Surfers can catch as many waves as they want in the time limit, and can only have one surfer per wave. That's sort of just up to the surfers to compete for the waves - you definitely don't take turns. That's part of the strategy, as Sherlock explains.  
> -The waves on this beach (Banzai Pipeline) are HUGE. To get a good feel for how a surfing competition at this location would look, I've posted a great video below. These are three of the absolute top surfers of today, especially Kelly Slater. He would put John to shame - he's 44 and still an absolute powerhouse of the sport. He's insane to watch.  
> -Let's be real, there are a ton of surfing terms in this chapter. Too many for me to list out. However, I made sure I only used terms and vocabulary from this easy list, which you can reference if you need help with a term to visualize what's happening!  
> -The WSL is the World Surf League, one of the surfing organizations that got started in the late 60's and early 70's that would be organizing official competitions like this.  
> -The ISF is the International Surf Festival - the competition where John faced off against Sherlock back in Los Angeles (in reality, the ISF is a gigantic event that stretches across 4 or 5 different beaches in SoCal, but I simplified it for this story).


	13. Moonlight Mile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the most erotic thing John’s ever seen, Sherlock’s marked skin slowly undulating underneath his palms, rocking to the rhythm of his touch, seeking more pressure between his fingers and the sand. John doesn’t even think as he lifts a leg to straddle over Sherlock’s hips, sinking down onto the solid warmth of his body beneath him. Sherlock shivers as John lightens the touch of his fingers and picks up the trail of one of the tentacles etched into his back, following it slowly down across his trembling skin.
> 
> “Tell me about this,” John says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artistry today comes courtesy of @chained-to-the-mirror and is replicated with kind permission.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -Don't think much needs to be explained about this chapter :)  
> -Is this the longest sunset in the history of the earth? As Sherlock would say: obviously.  
> -It may have been a long, slow burn to get here, but I promise there's still more sexy times ahead.


	14. Monkey Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He waits as Sherlock’s eyes suddenly flutter open all at once, completely awake in less than a second, surprised gaze focusing immediately on John. John looks directly into his eyes, tracking the fluttering droplets of sea in his irises, the way the corners crinkle in soft warmth when Sherlock starts to smile.
> 
> “John,” he whispers, voice raspy from sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -Again, I've pretty drastically simplified this surfing competition's logistics. With many surfing competitions now, it isn't necessarily always a semi-final and a final where you narrow it down until there's only 2 surfers left for the final. Sometimes there will be multiple "final" rounds, and the surfer with the highest combined points from the day after those "final" rounds is the winner. This is how John's competition will work. In the next chapter, you'll see he's in one of two separate "final rounds."  
> -After much thought, I decided to not include other real surfers in this fic. While I am familiar with surfers from this time, I didn't want it to turn into a weird RPF. I did, however, have some fun with the last names in terms of honoring certain surfers.  
> -Dale Trent is named in honor of Buzzy Trent, who was one of the pioneers in Big Wave surfing after he moved to Hawaii from California in the early 1950's. We'll learn more about the history of Big Wave surfing once we get to Sherlock's competition in Waimea Bay :)  
> -Mark Florence is named in honor of John John Florence (yes, that really is his name). He's one of my favorite current surfers. Hails from Hawaii. He was the youngest surfer to ever compete in the Van's Triple Crown of Surfing at AGE FOURTEEN. He also grew up in a beach-side house along the Banzai Pipeline (basically Sherlock's hut).  
> -Peter Fu from the last competition chapter is in honor of Mark Foo from Oahu, who tragically died in a drowning accident at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, California in 1994. It devastated the surfing community - happened in front of a huge crowd and photographers. Surfers from all over the world flew to Waimea Bay in Oahu (home of Big Wave surfing) later that year to hold a vigil. Almost 200 surfers paddled out into the ocean and formed a circle before spreading his ashes in the center.  
> -Shane Hamilton is in honor of Bethany Hamilton. At age 13 she was surfing in Kauai when a shark attacked her and bit off her left arm right up to the shoulder. She survived, and made an amazing recovery, and continued professional surfing with one arm like a BADASS. She still competes professionally. There was a 2011 movie about her called "Soul Surfer." While she's portrayed by an actress, all the one-armed surfing in the movie is actually done by Bethany.  
> -Apparently the only female name I could think of in this fic is "Helen," because I named John's mom Helen and also the first girl he has sex with back in Ch. 1 Helen. OOPS. Girl Helen is now Lisa Kerny. I know you're all really heartbroken.


	15. Paint It Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock wants to laugh into his mouth, or turn his face up to the sky to laugh in the face of the sun. He wants to laugh that the man who just stunned an entire beach to their feet just left it all behind so he could kiss Sherlock up against the back wall of a surf shop. It’s more magnificent than any competition he’s ever won combined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The glorious, beautiful artwork for this chapter, comes, courtesy of bluebellofbakerstreet and is reproduced here with kind permission of the artist.  
> Look at that gorgeous smile of John's and Sherlock's amazing tattoos!

                                                                                                                                  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context (Sorry, there's A LOT):  
> -As a reminder, the way I've structured the Billabong here is pretty wildly different from how it works today, and from how it would have worked then. There are two Finals rounds in this story, and the surfer out of the 4 with the highest score wins. Surfers get 30 minutes out on the waves (today they usually get 45 min - 1 hour), and their waves are all scored on a point system out of 10 by the judges. The top 3 wave scores are combined for their total out of 30.  
> -Terry Russell is in honor of Rory Russell from the UK, who won the actual 1976 Billabong Pipeline Masters (he also won it in 1977). As a reminder, 1971 was the inaugural year of this competition, since the late 60's and early 70's were when the first organized large-scale surf competitions were organized.  
> -George Moore is in honor of two surfers. First is George Freeth, who many consider the father of modern surfing. He was half-Hawaiian, born in 1883 on Oahu. A journalist spotted him and took him to Los Angeles (Redondo Beach, specifically) and marketed him as the man who could walk on water. Most people in the US had never even heard of surfing, let alone seen it in person. He died in 1919 at age 35 due to the global flu pandemic.  
> -The second is Carissa Moore, one of my favorite modern surfers. She was the youngest ever World Surf League Women's World Tour champion when she was just 19 in 2011. She went on to win that championship two more times in 2013 and 2015.  
> -Duke O'Brien is also in honor of two surfers. The first is Duke Kahanamoku. Now he is the "real" father of modern surfing. A native Hawaiian born in 1890 in Honolulu, he brought back and popularized the ancient Hawaiian sport of surfing while he was mainly working as a competitive swimmer. He was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming before traveling internationally and introducing the world to the sport of surfing.  
> -The second surfer is Jamie O'Brien, a modern day surfer who also grew up on the North Shore along the Banzai. He was one of the youngest ever surfers to win the Billabong, mirroring the career I've made up for Scotty Holmes. He's also one of the professional surfers who appears in that good ol' 2002 classic surfing movie "Blue Crush."  
> -All of the other competitions I mention in this chapter were real and active at the time. Sherlock tells John that Duke O'Brien is trying to get a spot at the World Championship - this is actually a unique little blip in surfing history. In 1969, surfer Fred Hemmings established the Smirnoff World Pro-Am Surfing Championship. After the International Surf Federation (ISF - I know, confusing because it shares initials with the International Surf Festival) was founded shortly after, the ISF couldn't throw together enough sponsors to hold their own world championship, so the Smirnoff became the de-facto World Championship. It was only held from 1969 to 1977, after which the IPS (International Professional Surfers) took over. The first woman to ever compete in this was badass Laura Lee Ching in 1973.  
> -A new surfing term mentioned in this chapter is a double hold-down. This is when a surfer has wiped out and is kept under the water for the period of two full waves. Surfing is insanely dangerous - it will come up more later once Sherlock takes on Waimea. It's like a badge of honor to survive a double hold-down without drowning. Even Kelly Slater famously knocked out by smacking his head against his board and almost drowned fairly recently, and he's considered the world's top surfer alive.  
> -I based John's final 9.8 point ride on John John Florence's ride in a recent Billabong Masters.


	16. I Can't Quit You Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, out with it, then,” Greg says gently.
> 
> John frowns. “I haven’t said anything.”
> 
> “Exactly – you just won a pro competition, something you’ve been wanting to do for years, and you haven’t said a single word about it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes, thoughts, and context:  
> -If you can't tell by now, Johnstrade is my second favorite ship (second to Johnlock, of course). Don't worry, though, we all know who John will end up with in this fic :)  
> -I don't think there's much else to be said or explained with this chapter, but if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!


	17. Shine A Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been one hundred and thirty-seven hours since he last held John Watson. One hundred and thirty-six since he last saw him. The knowledge that that number will only ever grow towards infinity leaves a thudding ache in his chest, drowned out by the heaving drone of the wind whipping across the churning surface of the ocean.
> 
> He needs to keep count, though. To track the number as it grows higher and higher and higher. Because watching the number grow to one thousand, or ten thousand, or one hundred thousand means that it had to have started at one, then two, then three. It means that it actually must have happened at some time, in some place. That it can’t all have just been a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are in the last leg! It seems fitting that we enter the final week with our lovely surfers beginning the next stage of their lives.
> 
> A gorgeous gathering of some of Zigster's Gimme Shelter art in this great poster. Reproduced with kind permission of the artist.

                                                            

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -This chapter would not have been possible without happierstill and alexaprilgarden, who both answered my frantic "how the hell do I write this" texts at all hours of the day and night and gave me absolutely invaluable advice. They also deserve a Gospel choir.  
> -I don't think there's any notes or context needed for this chapter, but as always feel free to reach out with questions!


	18. Dancing With Mr D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John wants to turn around in Sherlock’s arms and press their lips together and whisper into his mouth, “Yes, please, I’m begging you not to go out there and do this. I’m fucking begging you.” He wants to take Sherlock’s hand and lead him to literally any other beach along the North Shore, any other beach in Hawaii, in the entire world. Say, “Here, come surf with me. We just found each other and we can surf together and go home each night to our bed. Just not Waimea. Anywhere but Waimea. Please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more gorgeous artwork from zigster-ao3

  

                                                                                       

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -Sorry for the cliffhanger! I had to throw one in there eventually in this fic :)  
> -I know not everyone has the ability to watch videos, but I'm going to link to two fantastic short youtube clips if you'd like to learn more about Big Wave surfing at Waimea Bay. Basically, though, Waimea Bay (along with other Oahu North Shore locations like the Banzai Pipeline and Sunset Beach) are known for huge waves. They're caused by winter storms, and can be predicted in advance. So the timing of the informal competition in this chapter is a little too early in the year to be realistic. You can't always count on the waves at Waimea being large enough (or safe enough) to effectively Big Wave surf. For instance, the Eddie Aikau Invitational takes place at Waimea Bay, but isn't held every year due to poor conditions or not large enough swells.  
> -The Quicksilver Big Wave Invitational held at Waimea Bay is named after Eddie Aikau, a famous native Hawaiian big wave surfer and also the first lifeguard ever at Waimea Bay. He saved over 500 surfers and swimmers. He would have been present in this fic if I was including real people. He died in 1978 on a voyage recreating the ancient route between the Hawaiian and Polynesian islands. The canoe he was on capsized near Moloka'i, and he was the only member of the crew never found.  
> -I'm taking a lot of liberties with the Big Wave surfing world here - how this competition would have been structured, who would have been in attendance, what the mood on the beach would have been like, what safety precautions (lifeguards, jet ski's, etc.) would have been. Hey, that's why we call it fiction, right?  
> -The prayer Lahela says is part of The Unity Prayer translated into Hawaiian. While I got this from a source I trust, it may not be 100% accurate, so apologize if it's wrong. The prayer she says is "The power of God protects us; the presence of God watches over us."


	19. 100 Years Ago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock is alone in the ocean. Alone in the world. He grips the sides of his board with shaking fingers right at the crest. He feels his heart beat like a drum in his chest, echoing out across the silent, muffled sound of the entire rest of the earth. He sucks in a wet, salty breath, thinks of the color of John Watson’s eyes in the earliest morning light, and then leaps up to standing, ready to fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's wonderful art comes, courtesy of Khorazir, reproduced with kind permission, entitled 'Dawn'.

 

                                                                

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts, notes, and context:  
> -Almost there! Just one chapter and an epilogue to go! :)  
> -Sherlock references a competition at Sunset Beach. That's the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship, which ran from 1965 to 1985 until it was replaced by the Billabong Pro (not the Billabong Masters - confusing, I know). Sunset Beach is another beach along the North Shore of Oahu, famous for huge waves.  
> -Lahela tells Sherlock that the surfing he does can be called "he'e nalu." This translates into English as "wave sliding." This is what the Ancient Hawaiians referred to the art of surfing as, which was so much more than just a sport. I honestly don't know whether a woman like Lahela would still use that word in the time period of this fic, but I think it helps move along part of Sherlock's character arc in this chapter so I decided to use it.  
> -This was our last chapter featuring our beloved Sherlock's point of view! :( I'll miss him dearly. When I first started this fic is was all going to be John POV, and boy am I glad I decided to switch back and forth. Scotty, it's been a wild ride! Hang ten, buddy.


	20. Heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It feels strange to be lying down on his board naked, humming at the back of his mind that something feels out of place even though he’s paddled out to sea hundreds of times before.
> 
> It's just him, and his board, and the water. No crowd at his back, or wetsuit covering his skin. No time limits or post-surf work shift or tiny airless apartment waiting for him alongside the long stretch of traffic and smog and skyline.
> 
> It’s just him and Sherlock Holmes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's episode includes the wonderful artwork by penumbra/@anotherwellkeptsecret (reproduced here with kind permission)

 

                                                                   

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think this chapter needs any notes or context :) We all know that our lil' Scotty Holmes is secretly a romantic at heart, and that he wouldn't give a shit about whether gay marriage was legal or not. And we all know that our ol' Johnny loves his life to come with a thrilling side of the unexpected.


	21. Wild Horses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock holds John’s hand against his cheek, then turns his face to kiss the center of John’s palm. The earth stops, and John’s breath catches in his throat.
> 
> “Shall we?” Sherlock says quietly, speaking only to John.
> 
> John’s never known the answer to anything more fiercely in his life. He strokes his thumb across Sherlock’s cheek, swallowing hard. “God yes,” he whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my word - here we are at the end. I can hardly believe it - it was such a long time in the making and now it's all over.  
> Thank you, SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John, for permission to podfic this terrific story - it has been an honour and a delight.  
> Many thanks to all the artists who produced such brilliant art work and then allowed them to be included in this pod and last, but by no means least, thank you to all you lovely people who listened, kudos'd, commented, bookmarked and just generally joined in and flailed at me!!
> 
> On to the next...  
> Stay tuned for Monday's offering, a big 'thank you' to two special someones!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they surfed off into the sunset. . .
> 
> -The “US Open” that John mentions is the US Open of Surfing, which takes place each year in Huntington Beach, California (part of Los Angeles). It’s one of the oldest organized surfing competitions still around, with the first one held way back in 1959.  
> -While I took inspiration from a few traditional Hawaiian wedding ceremony details, the ceremony that Chris does for John and Sherlock is mostly just from my own head, and isn’t meant to misrepresent or appropriate any traditional or religious ceremonies. Since Chris is forging his own path by agreeing to do these gay ceremonies (which were very much a thing for gay couples in the 70’s and even earlier), I figured he would have his own unique ceremony to go with it.


End file.
